Porania pulvillus
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| Porania pulvillus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Aboral and oral surfaces of P. pulvillus | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Echinodermata |
| Class: | Asteroidea |
| Order: | Valvatida |
| Family: | Poraniidae |
| Genus: | Porania |
| Species: | P. pulvillus |
| Binomial name | |
| Porania pulvillus O.F. Müller, 1776 | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
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Porania pulvillus, also called the red cushion star or red cushion starfish, is a species of sea star in the family Poraniidae.[1][2][3][4] The specific name pulvillus means "little cushion."[5]
Porania pulvillus is up to 12 cm (4.7 in) in diameter. The aboral surface (top) is usually bright red but may be purple, orange or yellow. It has white/yellowish spots and bands that radiate from the centre, and smooth greasy skin.[6] The madreporite is in the centre.[4] P. pulvillus has translucent soft papillae that act as gills. The oral surface (underside) is pale. This sea star has five short, broad arms. Each arm has two rows of small ossicles on either side. It has no pedicellariae.[3]
Subspecies
There are two subspecies:[2]
- Porania (Porania) pulvillus pulvillus (O.F. Müller, 1776)
- Porania (Porania) pulvillus insignis Verrill, 1895
Distribution
It is widely distributed in the northern Atlantic Ocean,[1][2] including the waters off Great Britain, Ireland, Iceland, Norway, New England and Newfoundland.[3]
Environment
Porania pulvillus is sublittoral, typically living at 10–300 m (33–984 ft) depth, but some at up to 1,000 m (3,300 ft).[3]
